


Cause and Effect

by czh



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Drarry Discord Writers Corner Drabble Challenge, Gen, Gen or Pre-Slash, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Hogwarts Professors, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-21
Updated: 2019-11-21
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:09:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 311
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21514315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/czh/pseuds/czh
Summary: Professors Malfoy and Potter discuss homework.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy & Harry Potter
Comments: 4
Kudos: 10





	Cause and Effect

The staff room has almost completely emptied by the time Harry finishes grading the first years' papers. Identifying the features of ghosts _should_ be a simple matter, as most students do have daily contact with the Hogwarts ghosts, but Harry has a feeling some of his student's choicer words are going to stick with him for a while. 

"Death is not an easy punishment to overcome," he repeats to himself, chuckling, as he gathers the scrolls up with his wand.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Oh," Harry says. He looks around the grouping of armchairs to see Professor Malfoy sprawled out on the hearth rug. "Thought everyone else had left."

"Hm," Malfoy says. Harry drops his student's work in an armchair and leans on the back, looking down at him. He's laid out on his side, back facing the low flames, with _Numerology and Grammatica_ open in front of him. His usually pale skin is flushed from the heat, his usually neat hair loose around his face. "Weren't you leaving?"

"Did you know," he says, unable to look away from Malfoy's easy, smug expression, "That 'death plays a pivotal role in our everyday lives and has for years'?"

Malfoy shifts so that he is resting on his elbows, looking up at Harry. He raises his eyebrows as if considering. "I did not," he says. "Please, tell me more."

"People are typically assassinated at the end of their life," Harry says. "Sometimes people who are ghosts don't want to leave the world, but sometimes it is a mistake, because they are dead."

"Oh, I'm glad I didn't grade those," Malfoy says, laughing.

"I'm sure they are, too."

Malfoy looks up at him still, and Harry feels himself growing warmer. It's not often he sees Malfoy like this, relaxed and almost silly. 

"Well," he says, hyper-aware of his own voice. "Good night, Malfoy."

"Goodnight."

**Author's Note:**

> Made for the Drarry Discord November drabble challenge! The prompt was "warmth."


End file.
